This invention relates to the provision of an improved mounting bracket that is adapted to clamp onto a shelf structure, for example, and mount a display holder onto such structure.
Background information is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,134, granted May 30, 1995 to Scott S. Gibson, and entitled, Display Holder, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,623, granted Mar. 3, 1998, also to Scott S. Gibson, and entitled Upright Display Assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,623 discloses a particular shelf structure that includes a rail facing. The preferred embodiment of the present invention is especially adapted for connection to such a rail facing.
An object of the invention is to provide a mounting bracket that can be easily and quickly clamped onto a support structure and when on the support structure will provide a stable mounting structure onto which a display holder, or other structure can be mounted.
The present invention includes several novel structures and structural orientations that are exemplified by the disclosed embodiments.
The present invention includes the provision of a mounting bracket that is characterized by an upper clamp part having a downwardly directed upper clamp. jaw, and a lower clamp part having an upwardly directed lower clamp jaw. The upper and lower clamp parts are adapted to be connected together with the lower clamp jaw vertically confronting the upper clamp jaw. A member on to which the mounting bracket is to be mounted is positioned between the upper and lower clamp jaws. Then, the upper and lower clamp parts are connected together to clamp them onto said member.
According to an aspect of the invention, at least one of the clamp parts includes an outboard portion to which an object to be mounted is connected.
According to another aspect of the invention, the upper and lower clamp parts are connected together by a screw fastener. The upper clamp part includes a first vertical opening. The lower clamp part includes a second vertical opening that is in vertical alignment with the first vertical opening when the two clamp parts are together. A screw fastener extends through the two openings.
According to a further aspect of the invention, one of the openings includes an outer end portion that is in the nature of a countersink that is adapted to receive an enlarged head that is at one end of the screw fastener.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, one of the openings includes internal threads and the screw fastener includes external threads that mate with the internal threads. The clamp part that includes the internal threads may include an embedded nut having an opening that is internally threaded.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the mounting bracket includes a mortise and tenon joint where the upper clamp part meets the lower clamp part. This joint is positioned to prevent rotation of one clamp part relative to the other clamp part when the clamp parts are connected together by the screw fastener.
The present invention includes providing at least one of the clamp parts with an outboard portion to which a member to be mounted is secured.
According to one aspect of the invention, the outboard portion is a T-bar that is oriented to extend substantially vertically when the mounting bracket is clamped onto the member. In preferred form, each clamp part includes a section of an elongated T-bar. When the two clamp parts are connected together, the two T-bar sections are in axial alignment together and form a single elongated T-bar.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the upper clamp part includes an upper space and the lower clamp part includes a lower space. These spaces together accommodate the member that is positioned between the upper and lower clamp jaws, onto which the mounting bracket is clamped.
Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the description of the best mode set forth below, from the drawings, from the claims and from the principles that are embodied in the specific structures that are illustrated and described.